Col. Vernie L. Reichling, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, points to a map of a large area outside of the the Birds Point New Madrid Floodway, a region that could be hit hard by an uncontrolled breach of the levee. At a news conference in Sikeston, Mo., Thursday afternoon, Reichling briefed the media on the corps' efforts to hold back the raging waters, a campaign that received some much-needed assistance from upstream and Mother Nature.
(M.d. Kittle)